Picking a Focus for an Older Beginner(ish) Player

[davidbeinct]

Hey all, at the age of 57 I’m in the process of learning to play. I tried in my twenties for a couple years but didn’t get too far. I did learn the standard open chords as well as the basic E and A shape barre chords, but I never got close to fluent. The good news is the muscle memory came back, so I wasn’t quite starting from zero.
Right now I’m learning a mix of strumming and fingerpicking. With the strumming I’m concentrating on songs where some cool melodies are interwoven with the chords. I’ve got Ripple and Here Comes the Sun 80-90% under my fingers and some other stuff in various stages.
For fingerpicking I’m working mostly on Travis style. My teacher has complimented my thumb. I like bluesy stuff where I’m playing either a monotonic bass or an alternating bass. I’ve worked with David Hamburger’s stuff for the dead bass and various sources for alternating bass. I’ve got CC Rider, Sugar Babe, and John Henry (Spike Driver Blues) pretty well in hand but definitely not up to full tempo.
I feel like fingerpicking and strumming (I wouldn’t call what I’m doing flatpicking) complement each other as I’m learning. Strumming is more demanding of clean quick (or at least quick) chord changes; while fingerpicking is more demanding of cleanly fingered chords. You can, however, get the changes done easier because you often don’t need to finger the whole chord.
I’m definitely more facile right now with fingerpicking. It also appeals to me because if you spice up the melody lines it sounds good without singing, and I don’t really sing.
So my question is, should I drop the pick altogether and concentrate on fingerpicking? Will my development as a player suffer? Let’s face it, I don’t know how many years of playing I have in front of me, but it’s not as many as the years I have behind me!

 

[GGJaguar]

I think you need to go where your interests lie and the music that inspires you to play. For example, I listen to Metallica, but have no interest in playing that style so learning it would be pointless. As long as you have the desire, you'll succeed and advance. If the music that inspires you to play is flatpicked and fingerpicked, then learn both. Nothing wrong with that and the variety will hold your interest. Have fun!

 

[Westerly Wood]

i was mostly a strummer for years and then fingerpicking really did open a new world up for me, especially when i discovered open tunings and finally had a guitar that sounded good. of course, after decades of fingerpicking, and after a long electric guitar only phase, i returned to being mostly a strummer. lol

 

[walrus]

I think you need to go where your interests lie and the music that inspires you to play.

+1.

walrus

 

[dreadnut]

Over the years, I have settled on fingerpicking with my bare fingers - thumb and first 2 fingers. Easier for me to control, and you can strum downward with the backs of your fingers/fingernails.

When I need more volume, I either amp my acoustic guitar and/or use a flat pick.

Remember to set the rhythm with the base/bass note of each chord. If you're playing an A -D -E song for instance, your chord changes start with the "A' string, then the "D" string, then the low "E" string.

I also believe in economy of effort. When you strum, you don't have to swing your whole arm at the elbow, just use your wrist to do the up and down movement. Pete Townsend I ain't.

I also like to keep my pinkie down right near the bridge. Using that as a point of reference makes it much easier to find the right strings with your picking fingers consistently, as opposed to coming at them from any old where.

 

[Cougar]

...So my question is, should I drop the pick altogether and concentrate on fingerpicking?...

I'd say no. Keep playing both ways, but just play the way you feel like on any given day. You'll likely naturally drift to prefer one way, which is fine. Guilds are made to be played, and playing is made to be fun, not a chore. I expand my repertoir (such as it is) by watching videos on the web.

So here's one. There are a number of "how to play Petty's Won't Back Down" on youtube, but I kind of like the one by this guy over on the Acoustic Guitar Forum. Such an easy song! but such fun to play! I don't bother with the palm muting - just let it ring - and of course I like to play on 12-string.

 

[GAD]

I think you need to go where your interests lie and the music that inspires you to play. For example, I listen to Metallica, but have no interest in playing that style so learning it would be pointless. As long as you have the desire, you'll succeed and advance. If the music that inspires you to play is flatpicked and fingerpicked, then learn both. Nothing wrong with that and the variety will hold your interest. Have fun!

This times a million. Play what you like and the rest will take care of itself. The trick is that when you get good at something to not just play that forever, but to force yourself outside of your comfort zone. That's what a good teacher should do.